U.S. and Chinese trade officials postponed a virtual meeting that was to be held on Saturday, Aug. 15, and was expected to include a review of the implementation of the phase one trade deal, an Aug. 14 Reuters report said. The meeting was delayed due to “scheduling conflicts” and to allow China more time to purchase U.S. goods, Reuters said. The two sides haven't set a new date, it said. The White House and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative did not comment. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson declined to comment during an Aug. 17 news conference.

The United Nations Security Council on Aug. 14 rejected a U.S. resolution to extend the Iranian arms embargo, raising the possibility of the U.S. invoking snapback sanctions under the Iran nuclear deal. Only the U.S. and the Dominican Republic voted in favor. Russia and China voted against; 11 members abstained, including France, Germany and the United Kingdom. All three previously said they would support an extension of the arms embargo (see 2006220020), which is scheduled to expire in October.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned four people in Uganda for their involvement in an adoption scam, an Aug. 17 news release said. OFAC said the people visited “vulnerable” families in remote villages and promised to take their children to receive an education but instead offered them for adoption to U.S. visitors. OFAC sanctioned two Ugandan judges, Moses Mukiibi and Wilson Musalu Musene; Ugandan lawyer Dorah Mirembe; and Mirembe’s husband, Patrick Ecobu, for carrying out the scheme. Mirembe and Ecobu allegedly bribed the two judges and other Ugandan officials to carry out the adoptions in Ugandan courts.

The Bureau of Industry and Security on Aug. 17 added 38 Huawei affiliates to the Entity List and refined a May amendment to its foreign direct product rule, further restricting Huawei’s access to U.S. technology, the agency said in an Aug. 17 final rule. BIS also modified four existing Huawei entries on the Entity List, amended language in the Export Administration Regulations and said it will continue one cybersecurity-related authorization under its temporary general license for Huawei. The remainder of the license expired Aug. 13.

Three African economic blocs recently adopted guidelines to decrease supply chain disruption and improve trade and transport services to combat the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an Aug. 11 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The guidelines -- adopted by the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community -- will give priority to the movements of agricultural, hygiene, medical and fuel products, the HKTDC said. The measures will also standardize screening and testing requirements for drivers at border checkpoints and encourage member states to waive port and border handling fees for essential goods. The guidelines are meant to harmonize procedures among the member states of the three economic blocs, which each have their own “distinct” set of regulations, and in some cases, membership in more than one bloc, the report said.

The Canada government issued the following trade-related notices as of Aug. 14 (some may also be given separate headlines):

A range of Malaysian exporters, including traders of food and cut-flowers, no longer need a permit from the Malaysia Quarantine and Inspection Services to export their goods, according to an Aug. 13 Hong Kong Trade Development Council report. The change lifted export restrictions from items covered under 524 different Harmonized System codes in an effort to “reduce bureaucracy in the business sector,” the report said. The Malaysian government is also encouraging businesses to “report any red‑tape‑related matters of concern” to further reduce bureaucracy.

China began a countervailing duty investigation on imports of U.S. polyphenylene ether, an Aug. 14 notice said, according to an unofficial translation. China said it expects to complete the investigation by Aug. 14, 2021. The country recently launched an antidumping duty investigation into the same imports from the U.S. (see 2008030018).

China issued import requirements for certain Ecuadorian frozen shrimp, according to an unofficial translation of an Aug. 14 notice. The notice contains inspections and quarantine requirements for the shrimp.

The White House announced a one-year extension of a national emergency that authorizes U.S. export control regulations, according to an Aug. 13 notice. The move renewed the authority authorized in a 2001 executive order on the continuation of U.S. export controls. The emergency declaration was to expire Aug. 17, 2020.